Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa

Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa history / product history:

According to [7], Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa is "extremely rare and hard to collect" and has been used for "thousands of years" by traditional practitioners. Other sources claim that the seeds of X. Scabrosa have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for "over 1000 years".

Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa can easily be found in many herbal supplements on the marketplace today - and the only negative report found during this research was from the medical paper that stated its toxicity was unknown (see "Toxicity" - below). One Ebay seller of herbal products, whose catalogue includes Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa Extract harvested from the Galapagos Islands, has received 100% positive feedback from over 670 transactions - an excellent track record. 30 of these sales were for Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa Extract.

Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa is NOT listed in the American Herbal Products Association's Herbs of Commerce (2000). [8] This means that Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa may fall under the FDA category of a "new dietary ingredient" and caution / further research is advised to anyone considering supplying such products to the USA.

Dosage recommendations have not been stablished. 49.0 mg of X. Scabrosa is included in the product "Bali Mojo". [9]

Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa: Scientific research and Aphrodisiac effects

Although Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa has been included in several modern aphrodisiac products and even "penis growth supplements" , with great claims being made as to its efficacy, it appears at first glance that "hard science" has either ignored completely or not got round to testing this lichen's purported aphrodisiac qualities.

It is commonly stated in product sales material that the Chinese have known for a long time that Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa contains substances that greatly inhibit the production of enzyme Phosphodiesterase-V (PDE-5) - a similar mechanism to Viagra. PDE-5 is the substance which binds to cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP), which in turn is the substance that controls the erectile function.[10]

Other sales brochures state that X. Scabrosa assists the body in producing nitric oxide which relaxes the smooth muscles whose tension is indicated in erectile dysfunction. However, this researcher has not yet found the original source of any of the above claims. Researcher James Occhiogrosso states that little clinical evidence is available and that he can find no clinical studies to support aphrodisiac claims for X. Scabrosa. [1]

There are however some pointers. Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa has been stated to be a source of pyrazolopyrimidinone. DA-8159, a pyrazolopyrimidinone derivative was shown in lab testing to induce erection in rabbits. [11]

A Chinese source states that X. Scabrosa contains 4-Methylpiperazine and Pyrazolo Pyrimidin-7-1 - and that these substances delay the work of the PDE-5 enzymes. [6]

X. Scabrosa is listed by Dr. Rene Tshiteya in his Herbal Medicines for Common Ailments as part of a herbal formula for male impotence, aphrodisiac and testosterone booster. [12]

Toxicity - compounds isolated from X. Scabrosa have shown acticity against cancer cells. A 2003 report showed that Scabrosin esters isolated from X. Scabrosa are active against human tumor cells - although the cellular tagets of ETP toxins is currently not known. This indicates that the toxicity of X. Scabrosa towards other cells has not yet been established - and this is also mentioned by Occhiogrosso in [12].

[13] is the only scientific literature in Pubmed that mentions X. Scabrosa - indicating that much further scientific research is needed before safety conclusions can be formed. However, according to [6], there have been no noted side effects associated with use. Australian Journal of Chemistry lists another study in which Scabrosin Esters have shown "potent cytotoxic activity" against cancer cells.[14] It appears that no human aphrodisiac scientific studies have been performed, and as yet there is no scientific evidence to support aphrodisiac claims.

Four Scabrosin Alkaloids have been isolated from Xanthoparmelia Scabrosa and these are listed in [15]. Five scabrosin esters are listed in [16].